Horror Blog

by Myra Nour

Book Chat: The Remaining Faith

by D.J. Molles

A terrifying and gripping tale of a young couple trying to escape as a disease erupts that turns people into savage monsters.

MYRA’S HORROR BLOG REVIEWS : I wanted to write reviews as if I were sharing the love of a book with a friend. What I liked about it, from storyline to characters; to include any parts that had a negative impact on me as a reader. Join me on the couch as we explore today’s exciting read.

2014

The world is slipping into chaos. A mysterious plague has come stateside, and Clyde Bealey suddenly finds himself with nothing but a suitcase full of worthless things and a desperate sense that he must prove himself to his pregnant wife. As he tries to lead his family to safety through a world filled with madmen, he will learn that the cost of his pride might be more than he can bear.

Review:

Clyde and his pregnant wife, Haley, are trying to make it to a secure FEMA camp. The local people have been evacuated to the High School, where they are being loaded onto buses for the trip.

It is clear Clyde is outside his element, like a fish out of water. He is a stock broker and ill equipped for the new world ramming its way toward him. Haley seems better suited than him, being raised on a farm. But since she is 6 months pregnant, she looks to her husband for protection.

Clyde argues with the soldier guiding civilians onto buses, because he refuses to give up the large suitcase he was carrying. While he acts like an idiot, people slip past them and take their spot on the bus.

When the infected attack Haley and Clyde run for their car. Whether through fear or actually thinking straight, Clyde hunkers down with his wife. The infected don’t see them hiding in the car, and pass by after slaughtering everyone they run across.

Leaving the vehicle, they make it to a convenience store, where they can find food, water and temporary shelter. But minutes after they arrive, an infected man breaks in, attacking Haley. Clyde stands weeping while the man rips at his wife lying on the floor. (I wanted to reach through the pages and slap him. Quit being a crying wimp and grow a pair!)

Finally, Clyde, who had picked up a gun from a dead soldier, shoots the infected. He’d been holding the pistol in numb silence. The attacker is killed by a lucky head shot, because inapt Clyde treats a gun like he was holding a snake. Poor Haley dies too, but before she does, she begs her husband to save their baby.

Later, we see Clyde walking like a dead man, with a small bundle in his arms. He’s not dead, but a shell of a man. At the end he is picked up by scouts from a nearby enclave of survivors. We get a glimmer that Clyde may be given a 2nd chance in this new world. I cannot give him another chance unless later we see a story where he is a kick-ass hero.

While only a novella, this tale is full of terror, horror and sadness. It was both fascinating and hard to read. Clyde is feckless and his level of cowardice made me dislike him totally. It takes a very good author to make a reader abhor a character. If you’re looking for a horror novella that will rip at your heart and throat, this is it.

NOTE: All my reviews are published in Uncaged Book Reviews emag. This review will be in the February issue.

Leave A Comment

Myra Nour is the author of several best-selling romance novels, including Love's Captive. She retired as CEO of BTSeMag in January 2016. Myra is working on tweaking her older stories and publishing as Indie. She loves horror novels and movies, especially well written zombie stories. As well she reviews horror novels and publishes one review per week on her blog. All reviews are published in Uncaged Book Reviews emag under "Myra's Horror Blog Reviews". Myra devours zombie stories and also likes werewolf and monster novels.